


Bladed Bait

by Firekitten



Category: RWBY
Genre: Based on Scath's R.O.S.E-6 AU, Gen, Ruby Taiyang and James are in the background
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:15:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28298811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firekitten/pseuds/Firekitten
Summary: Clover prided himself on being able to get along with everyone. Everyone, that is, except Qrow Branwen, who has made it his personal mission to try and infuriate him.Some days, it works.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	Bladed Bait

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SpectralScathath](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpectralScathath/gifts).
  * Inspired by [The Personal Recordings of Dr Shell](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27648823) by [SpectralScathath](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpectralScathath/pseuds/SpectralScathath). 



> So this is a short, very short, Christmas gift fic for my friend Scath, written back at the beginning of December. I had plans to make it longer but A. Time and B. I realized if I kept going I'd spoil a very big plot point of the story that hasn't been revealed yet and was like 'Naah that's too messed up to do that'. So, short and sweet it is!
> 
> Things to know:  
> This is based off of her R.O.S.E-6 AU - it's a roleswap AU, where certain characters move places from the original RWBY story. The important ones to know for this story: Ruby Rose is now Penny, an android. Clover Ebi takes Winter Schnee's place. Tai is still Ruby's dad. James is still the Atlas military general. Qrow is still Qrow, with an extra side dish of dickishness. 
> 
> I'm sorry it's not more grand, but I hope you like it Scath!

There were very few people in the world that could get Clover Ebi’s blood boiling upon mere sight.

Qrow Branwen just happened to be one of those few.

And as luck wouldn’t have it, that was the exact man he just so happened to be in the presence of.

“You know, if you stare any harder, you _might_ just be able to telepathically transmit your feelings right into Jimmy’s tin head.”

He sighed, tearing his eyes away from James and Tai talking in the middle of the training room to the person leaning against the railing of the observation balcony beside him. “What are you doing here Qrow?”

“Beyond watching you hopelessly pine like a lovesick teenager? Nothing.” Despite his flippant reply, the lean man’s gaze was honed in on the young lady setting up obstacles for her target practice, the ire blazing in his red eyes barely contained.

Clover hummed disbelievingly. “Well, I feel honored you came all this way simply to annoy me.”

“Anything for you fish bait.” Qrow pulled out his flask, taking an excessively long and loud drink of it.

Brothers, he was like a little kid sometimes. “You do recall there’s regulations against alcohol in the school sectors, right?”

“Whatcha gonna do? Lock me up?” He challenged. “Because I bet you ol’ Jimmy down there is packing too. You’re gonna have to arrest him too. Though…” His expression turned sly, “You’d enjoy that, wouldn’t you soldier boy?”

Clover’s face burned. “That is… highly inappropriate!”

“That wasn’t a no.” He sing-songed, dancing out of range when Clover tried to shove him.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling an oncoming headache. “Gods, you’re unbearable.”

It had been like this ever since they’d first met, as if they both started with one foot already stumbling and after that, they couldn’t stop tumbling. For reasons beyond his comprehension, Qrow took an extreme amount of pleasure in getting under his skin, taking triumph anytime he succeeded. Clover just did his best to simply ignore the other’s pesky attempts to get a rise out of him, and while he’d claim it was in an effort to be the bigger man… he just really didn’t like to lose.

Qrow idly rolled the flask’s cap between his fingers, contemplating his next button to press. “If you want to give me less ammo, why don’t you grow a pair and go ask him out for a drink already.”

“Oh please. It has nothing to do with that.”

“Then what?”

A loud, boisterous laugh drew Clover’s attention back to the lower level. Tai was holding onto his stomach as he hooted over whatever they’d been talking about, leaning back into the arm James had slipped around his shoulders to keep him steady. To anyone else, it might have looked like nothing more than a couple of old friends enjoying each other’s company.

Might have been – if not for the tender way James smiled down at the blond or the slight flush spread along Tai’s freckled cheeks. The almost-intimacy in the way they lent in close, never enough to overstep, but enough to leave a burn of jealousy scarring into Clover’s heart.

How utterly baffling it was that Qrow had figured him out, but couldn’t see what was happening with his own best friend.

“Honestly,” Clover finally spoke, “If you haven’t figured it out yet, far be it from me to ruin the secret.”

It was clear to him that Qrow just thought he was saving face when he rolled his eyes and said, “Whatever you say, lover boy. I, for one, have got better things to do then watch your little tragedy on ice.” He took another swig of his flask as he pushed off from the railing, swaying for the doorway.

Just when Clover thought he was free, Qrow paused, looking back.

“Oh! And give Elm my congrats.”

His brow furrowed. “What?”

“Heard she did a real number on scrap number 4.” His expression shifted to something cruel. “Next time, tell her to aim for the little freak’s core.”

It was a good thing Qrow’s reflexes were so sharp. Otherwise, with the brutal amount of force Clover threw into his swing, he might have had to deal with a bashed in jaw. Instead, the experienced huntsman caught his fist, trying to crush it in his fingers as they glowered at one another.

Tension leaked into the air between them; a metal coil ready to spring. More often than not, it was the lither man who came at him with a brazen rage, Clover merely getting caught up in the heat of it.

But today, fury was hot on his skin, as he hissed out, “I could give less of a damn what you want to say about me, but if you ever speak about Elm or Ruby like that to me again, I’ll make _sure_ you regret it.”

Qrow regarded him intently, before scoffing and pushing him back. “Tch. Whatever.”

Without anymore preamble then that, the man took his leave and Clover was alone, shaking as he tried to calm his racing heart.

Had it of happened, it wouldn’t have been the first time they’d traded blows, and while there’d been a few outliers for the cause, the most common denominator that sparked these brawls was always the same:

Ruby.

He was no stranger to the other’s appalled opinions on the R.O.S.E. project, despite all the good it promised not just for technology but for the world at large, and it was their opposing views on it that set them on an antagonistic relationship to begin with. Qrow was disgusted with all they were supposedly putting his family through for what he deemed was an ‘unethical monstrosity’. Clover believed him to be near-sighted and selfish, the other’s defeatist nature making him refuse to see the bigger picture.

He turned back to the balcony, watching Ruby as she finished up her target practice, spinning around with bright eyes.

“Dad! Did you see? Did you?! I got them all!”

Tai grinned, as proud as any father could be. “You sure did sweetheart!”

Qrow was certainly missing the small one, centered within the young girl who was slowly but surely brightening up all their lives.


End file.
